A Shadow Queen Chosen?
by hdfd
Summary: This takes over from the anime episode 8, when Kyoya attempts to teach Haruhi a lesson. HaruhixKyoya. note: I don't own OHSHC. FINALLY UPDATED AGAIN. SUPER SHORT CHAPTER. MORE TO COME, HOPEFULLY
1. Chapter 1

This starts in the anime episode 8, when Haruhi finds herself in Kyoya's room, and Kyoya attempts to teach Haruhi a lesson.

For the first time in his life, things were not going according to plan. She was supposed to be looking up at him with fear and regret, not staring up at him with curiosity, as composed as ever. "Miss Fujioka, do you understand the position you're in… The power I have over you right now?" He asked her quietly. He was rapidly losing his cool as his body was becoming increasingly aware of said position and power. For once, none of his back-up plans were appropriate.

He knew she was different from other girls, but how could he have underestimated her so badly. And how could he have been so conceited to think he could maintain ironclad control over his baser instincts when he had such a fascinating girl beneath him. He had suspected for some time now that his interests in her were more than financial, but in denial he had brushed these thoughts aside and foolishly proceeded with this plan. Ideas for extracting himself from the situation were quickly considered and discarded.

She finally spoke, "I do understand, Kyoya-senpai."

He didn't think she could possibly guess at the direction his imagination was leading him. It was taking all of his willpower to keep his fantasies at the back of his mind. He was grateful for the dark and the distance between them because otherwise she would have quickly seen or felt the effect she had on him. "If you did understand, I don't think you would be lying there so calmly."

She remained still for a moment, then gently reached for his hand and brought it to rest on her chest. He could feel her heart pounding just as quickly his. _So maybe my plan to frighten some common sense into her hasn't been a complete waste. _Without thinking his fingertips caressed her collar bone, marveling at the silky softness of her skin. She let out a small gasp. He dragged his gaze from her lips back to her eyes and saw it - what he had missed in his initial assessment of her. There wasn't just curiosity in her eyes, there was trust … and desire. His breaths became more rapid and shallow as he quickly took in the new data. _It's not fright that's making her heart beat so fast._

"Do you understand, senpai?" She asked him, eyes searching his face.

He cursed himself mentally because he now knew he was in way over his head. He'd never take advantage of an unwilling girl no matter how good she looked lying in his bed in the moonlight and no matter how much he wanted her. But if he understood correctly, Haruhi wasn't unwilling. He groaned softly in frustration as his gaze swept over her body again. He knew he should abandon his plan right now and take another much needed cold shower, but he couldn't force himself to get up just yet. Plus he needed to compose himself before she became embarrassingly aware of his situation when he stood up. _Think cold, calming thoughts. _He watched as she prepared to say something, she licked her lips and his control snapped.

"Sen-" She started to question him, but was interrupted by his lips pressed firmly over hers. In an instant they were immersed in heat and the rest of the world fell away. The kiss, which started off almost gently, quickly became more demanding. He bit her bottom lip playfully and let his tongue soothe it. His tongue silently requested entrance to her mouth, which she granted hesitantly. She moaned in pleasure at the new sensation as he explored her hungrily. Time stopped as he felt her tongue begin to dance shyly with his. A part of his mind was screaming at him to regain control of himself, but the rest of him was pleading for more.

He broke the kiss and turned his attention to the soft skin of her collar bone, then her neck. _She tastes so damn good._ It took all of what was left of his self-discipline to keep from lowering himself onto her completely. He felt her soft hands glide up his arms and shoulders to his neck, and felt her tug him back up for another kiss. _She's going to drive me crazy._ That was his last coherent thought for the next few minutes as he gave in to her demand and kissed her again. Her hands roamed his sleekly muscled chest and back, unknowingly coaxing his body closer and closer. Her kisses became bolder as she quickly learned what pleased him. _Well she isn't the scholarship student for nothing. _In a flash, he realized what he was doing and who he was doing it to. Haruhi Fujioka. Scholarship student of Ouran Academy. Member of the Host Club.

He groaned as he unwillingly tore his lips away and sat up on the edge of the bed. They were gasping for air as they stared at each other in the faint moonlight. Seeing her flushed cheeks, kiss-swollen lips, and darkened brown eyes, he knew he would happily sell his soul for the chance to continue what they had started.

Before he could reach for her again, he heard a light tapping on his door. He shot to his feet and Haruhi sat up just as the door began to open.

"Kyoya, you got some lotion? This sunburn is actually starting to hurt-" Tamaki paused as he took in the scene before him. Kyoya stood shirtless next to the bed on which Haruhi was sitting. Tamaki's face darkened with anger, "Kyoya, you -" he was cut off as Kyoya shoved the lotion in his face and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Kyoya sighed and leaned back against the door, listening for a moment to Tamaki's frantic questions and Haruhi's calm denials. He heard the thunder outside and froze. He recalled a detail from a conversation with Haruhi's father. Haruhi was astraphobic. Kyoya turned to re-enter the room, but stopped himself. He knew Tamaki would be able to comfort her, and that he could trust the idiot with her. Tamaki's affections for Haruhi were still strictly paternal, and Kyoya needed time to cool off. He pulled on the vest he had grabbed on his way out of the room, and went to join the others in the dining room.

Not trusting their ability to hide any emotions or reactions from the rest of the Host Club, Kyoya avoided speaking to or looking at Haruhi for the rest of the night and during the ride home the next day, Saturday. She cast curious glances in his direction, but wisely maintained her silence. They would have a better opportunity to speak later.

Sunday morning at the Ootori mansion…

Kyoya stared at the lists before him, the light from his laptop reflected off his glasses as he pushed them back into place. He was exhausted. He had stayed up the entire night analyzing all of the possible ramifications of his feelings for Haruhi. His work had only been interrupted by flashbacks from their brief interlude that left him frustrated and in need of brisk walks. After the events that occurred the night of the beach trip, he could no longer lie to himself about the way he felt for her. The rush of excitement whenever he saw her, the sense of peace whenever she was near, his desire to know everything he could about her. So many signs were pointing to one truth. He never thought he'd fall for a cross-dressing commoner, but she had intrigued him from the beginning. Now he needed to focus on his next goal – making Haruhi his.

According to his analysis, there was very little standing in the way of his pursuing a relationship with Haruhi. Her responses to his kisses suggested she would be agreeable to dating him, so that was not a problem. His data showed he was already poised to buy the Ootori Corporation, so having to gain his father's approval was not a problem either. School was a breeze for him, so according to his calculations, he would have no difficulty graduating first in his class, even after taking into consideration the conversion of a huge bloc of study-time into Haruhi-time. Plus, she would be busy studying a lot anyway, so school would not be an issue. He scrolled down to another list.

The rest of the school still thought she was a boy, but he didn't really care if word of their relationship got out and people thought he was gay. He could easily pay off her debt himself, thus freeing her to reveal her true gender, but he knew her pride would not allow that. He smiled thinking about her stubborn independence, one of the qualities he liked about her despite the trouble it sometimes got her into. She tried to do things herself, rarely relying on others for anything. She was smart, confident, and capable of doing anything she set her mind to. Hiding her gender would not be an issue - as long as he could keep her from confronting beach thugs by herself.

He sighed as he looked at the heading of his last and longest list – The Host Club.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Host Club was in full swing Monday afternoon. Tamaki was at his best, catering to his harem of swooning girls with flowery words and pretty phrases. The twins were once again pushing the boundaries of twincest, much to the delight of their customers. In one corner of the music room, Huni was bouncing from girl to girl, delivering cakes and hugs, with Mori a step behind him preventing any mishaps. Haruhi sat on a couch surrounded by her customers, listening intently to the girls' chatter.

Kyoya was sitting alone at a table, staring idly at his computer, typing aimlessly now and then to give the appearance of doing work. He needed to talk to Haruhi after the Host Club session was over, and he was growing more impatient and anxious by the minute. Kyoya silently berated himself for being nervous. _She's just a commoner. Even the richest girl would leap at the chance to be with you. _

He brought up the file he had been working on the previous day, and reviewed once more all of the problems that the Host Club could cause when they found out about him and Haruhi. Once again the Shadow King came to the same conclusion. He was going to have to address two main issues: 1) He had to make sure Tamaki's feelings for Haruhi never strayed from fatherly. When faced with a serious issue, such as losing the girl he loved, Tamaki could be a formidable opponent. Thus, Kyoya had to make sure that Tamaki remained in his paternal role. And 2) The entire Host Club was extremely protective of Haruhi. Sure they trusted him with all of the club's finances and planning, but it was doubtful they'd trust him with someone as precious to them as Haruhi. He was going to have to prove himself to them.

"Kyoya-senpaiii," twin voices chorused behind him.

Kyoya flinched and slammed his laptop shut. He looked around and saw that all of the customers were gone.

A twin draped himself over each of Kyoya's shoulders, staring at him curiously. He shrugged them off and stood up to face the rest of the waiting Host Club. "Good job, everyone. You are all free to go now." He took a breath, "But Haruhi, please stay a moment. I'd like to discuss your debt with you."

Haruhi saw the hidden message in his eyes and nodded.

"Kyoooya-senpai, we were going to take Haruhi home today," Hikaru and Kaoru whined, wrapping their arms tightly around her. Kyoya's fists clenched involuntarily at the sight, and he immediately forced himself to relax, surprised by his own reaction.

"I'll take Haruhi home after we talk," Kyoya managed coolly. When they all stared at him in shock, he realized he had never before offered her a ride home. "I need to speak to Ranka-san anyways," he added as an excuse. They all seemed to accept this explanation for they soon left to go home, leaving Haruhi and Kyoya alone.

Kyoya cleared his throat, ready to deliver the speech he had rehearsed in his mind, but stopped when he realized Haruhi was no longer in front of him. He whirled around finally spotting her walking casually across the room in the direction of a couch. "We might as well be comfortable while we talk," she explained as she sat at one end of the couch, then looked at him pointedly, waiting for him to join her.

Kyoya shook himself mentally and strolled over to sit at the other end of the couch. She smiled at him, and his mind went blank.

"Senpai, maybe we should talk about what happened after the beach?" she suggested calmly.

"Oh yes. Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to discuss," he finally got a hold of himself. "Haruhi, after extensive deliberation and research, I have decided that it would be in both of our best interests if we started a relationship together. Now I know you might be wondering why I would - " Kyoya stopped when he heard Haruhi laughing. "You find something funny about this?"

Her laughter slowly subsided. "Sorry, Senpai. It was just so like you to deal with this situation that way. You know, I imagined you weighing the pros and cons, gathering data, and making charts and lists to come to a practical decision."

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, uncomfortable that she had guessed at his actions so accurately. "There's nothing wrong with being practical," he said stiffly.

This elicited another laugh from Haruhi, "Sorry, I didn't mean it in a bad way. It's actually one of the qualities I admire about you." She was startled to actually see Kyoya blush. "Um, but Kyoya-senpai, how do you feel about me?" she asked shyly.

He studied her for a moment, "Well, I think you are remarkably attractive, intelligent, and driven … especially for a commoner." She rolled her eyes at the last part, so he added quietly "And I really like you." She rewarded him with another gentle smile, and he reached for her hand. "And you, Haruhi?"

"Well, I think you are remarkably attractive, intelligent, and driven," she grinned, "especially for a rich bastard." He looked stunned, so she squeezed his hand and added, "And I really like you, too." She blushed lightly and stared down at her lap.

"Then you won't mind if…" he leaned over, tilted her chin up gently, and kissed her. _Even better than I remembered._ He deepened the kiss as she welcomed his tongue eagerly. He leaned closer to her, making it necessary for her to lean back.

Her small hand on his chest stopped him. "Senpai," she teased, "you don't have to pin me down this time."

He blinked, surprised to find himself over her again. He smirked, "Sorry, you're right." Then he leaned back onto his side of the couch, tugging her with him and leaving her sprawled on his chest. "Better?" he asked as she blushed. She replied with a kiss. He soon discovered several merits in letting Haruhi take control on top of him. Her kisses became more adventurous, and his hands were free to explore the soft curves of her waist and hips. She loosened his tie and undid the top buttons of his shirt, her kisses following as more of his skin became revealed. Then he froze, his entire being became focused on the feel of her sucking softly on the base of his throat. His body responded instantly, and Kyoya quickly shifted them to separate their lower halves before Haruhi could feel anything.

Haruhi sat up quickly, "Sorry, Senpai, I must be crushing you." Kyoya sat up, too, hunched over slightly.

Stunned by the sense of loss he felt when she left his arms, Kyoya was slow to respond, "Oh no, Haruhi, not at all. It was just … um… a leg cramp."

Concern immediately showed in her wide brown eyes, "Oh those can be so painful. Here let me massage it for you." Before he could stop her, she was kneeling before him, with her soft hands placed on his thighs. "Just show me where it hurts."

_Oh God, if only. _Dozens of fantasies flashed through Kyoya's mind, sparked by her innocent words. He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing that if he saw her eyes filled with the anxious desire to ease his pain, he'd probably do something he'd regret. He didn't want to frighten her by revealing the extent of his desire too soon. "No, Haruhi it's alright. It doesn't hurt much anymore. Just give me a minute and I'll take you home."

She patted his knees sympathetically and stood up. "Ok, but let me know if you change your mind. Admitting you feel pain won't make me think any less of you, Senpai."

He opened his eyes and smiled, "I appreciate that Haruhi, and if you want, just call me Kyoya."

"I'll try … Kyoya." She smiled back at him, and Kyoya felt his gut twist. He could devote all his energy to making her smile.

Kyoya's limo met them at the school's front gate. The first few minutes were spent in comfortable silence. He watched her relax into the soft leather seat. Suddenly, Kyoya remembered the rest of what he needed to speak to her about. "Haruhi, about the rest of the Host Club… and us…" She looked at him patiently, waiting for him to go on.

Slipping into his professional mode, "I've come up with several plans to deal with all of the possible repercussions of our relationship. I personally recommend-"

Haruhi interrupted him, "How about we just keep this between us for awhile? I don't know if everyone else would understand us yet. They might distrust your intentions towards me."

He thought of the pages of plans he had spent hours concocting, all gone down the drain. _Nothing goes according to plan with her. _She smiled at him again, and all plans were forgottenHe mentally identified and neutralized all of the risks of their secretly dating. "We'll have to tell your father, but other than that I see no problem with keeping this a secret - at least for the time being." He thought about her words and was puzzled. "Haruhi, how come you don't have any concerns about my intentions towards you?"

She looked at him with wide eyes, as if surprised by the question. "Why would I? I mean, even though you try to appear all cold and calculating, I can still see you are a very caring person. You would never do anything to harm someone you care about, and you've already expressed your feelings for me. Although you might withhold information, you never lie, so all in all, I see no reasons for me to be concerned."

Kyoya was floored by her simple, straightforward assessment. _Just like that, she trusts me. _He could only stare at her as she shrugged nonchalantly and relaxed once more into her seat. He prayed he would never lose her trust.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Haruhi woke up exhausted the next morning. She had gone to bed very late because of her father's excited chattering about "Haruhi's first boyfriend." She was glad she had waited until after she was done with her homework before telling him the news. Even after Haruhi kicked him out of her room, he had knelt in front of Haruhi's mother's picture and proceeded to loudly relate the entire story to her again. Haruhi dragged herself out of bed and got ready for school. She perked up a little as she stepped out of the apartment and found it to be a beautiful, clear morning.

She set out on her normal route to school, humming absentmindedly to herself, when she noticed the strange stares she was getting from people walking by. She brushed her mouth for crumbs and adjusted her tie. When she passed a shop window, she turned to check her reflection. She noticed immediately what people were staring at. Standing about two paces behind her were three men in black jumpsuits and bullet-proof vests. She turned slowly to face them, gripping her bag tighter, "What do you want?"

"Nothing, Miss Fujioka. Just following orders, Miss Fujioka" one of the men nearly shouted.

Haruhi cringed at the sound of his loud voice. "Ok. Ok. What orders? Whose orders?" Then she spied the small emblem on their shoulders and muttered, "Never mind." Haruhi took out her cell phone and walked a few steps away, shooting irritated glances in their direction when they followed. She waited for her call to connect.

"Ah, good morning, Haruhi. How can I help you?" the smooth voice on the line answered.

"Kyoya, call them off," she said bluntly.

"Oh. You spotted them already?" he sounded amused.

"Well it's hard not to when they won't get more than three feet away from me."

"Three feet away? Haruhi, please hand the phone to one of them."

Haruhi thrust the phone into the hands of the nearest guard, and watched as the man spoke to Kyoya. The guard blushed and handed the phone back to Haruhi.

"Forgive me, Haruhi. It seems my orders weren't clear enough when I told them to watch over you. You should have no problems now."

Haruhi almost laughed when she saw the men trying to look inconspicuous waiting fifteen feet away from her. Deciding it was pointless to argue with him, she sighed and said, "Thanks, I guess. See you at school," and hung up. She continued her walk, forgetting about her guards as thoughts of homework and tests consumed her. She remembered them again as she stepped through the gates of Ouran Academy, and turned just in time to see them leaving.

As usual she was almost an hour early and went to the Host Club room to review her notes for class. She opened the door expecting an empty room, so she was surprised to find Kyoya typing on his laptop. "Kyoya-senpai?"

He nodded to her, but remained absorbed in his work. Haruhi sat at a nearby table facing one of the huge windows with a view overlooking the courtyard. She took out the notes for her first class, scanning for anything she would need to ask the teacher about. After a few minutes, she noticed that the tapping sounds of Kyoya's fingertips on the keyboard had ceased. She turned to look at him, but he had hastily resumed typing. Haruhi smiled to herself and put her notes back into her bag. She checked the clock on the wall. There was still well over half an hour before class.

She walked over to his table and stood behind him, peering over his shoulder to see what he has doing. She was satisfied to see that he was working on something dated for the next month. Haruhi was still a little irked about the guards that he had stuck her with; she could watch out for herself. She knew he had good intentions, so she decided to limit her revenge to distracting him from his work for a few minutes.

"Is there something you needed, Haruhi?" Kyoya asked calmly, still typing.

"I just thought I'd watch you work for awhile. Maybe pick up some study tips. Do you mind?"

He smirked, "Not at all."

Lifting his arm out of the way, Haruhi seated herself lightly on his lap, then placed his hand back on his laptop. She had done all of this casually, as if sitting on his lap were an everyday occurrence. Kyoya raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

He tried to focus on his work, but was distracted by the sweet scent of her shampoo. He stopped himself from inhaling deeply, and turned his attention once more to the computer screen. Then he noticed the delicate lobe of her ear, and couldn't stop himself from nibbling on it softly. She smiled and leaned back onto his chest, and tilted her head back onto his shoulder, giving him better access. He took advantage of her offer greedily. Alternately kissing and licking her neck and throat. He couldn't get enough of the taste of her. Abandoning the work on his laptop, his hands moved to clasp her slender waist.

He kissed her ravenously. Hearing her moan softly, his hands tightened their hold on her. He became painfully aware of the entire length of her body pressed against him. He tried to draw back from their kiss, struggling with his self-control. Haruhi protested with a hand at the back of his neck, and he quickly lost himself once more in the kiss. When it came to the physical aspect of their relationship, he had planned to take things slow. _Another plan out the window._

Haruhi pulled away suddenly, "Kyoya, the door."

He growled, brought his lips back to hers, and lifted her easily. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her to the door, never breaking their kiss. He set her on her feet, her back against the door, and turned the lock. They stared at each for several seconds, both breathing heavily. Simultaneously, they reached to undo the other's tie. Kyoya shrugged out of his jacket and helped her to remove hers. She stood on tiptoes to capture his lips and she melted into him, her body molding naturally to his own. Kyoya groaned at the pleasure of feeling her soft breasts pressed against his chest, her thighs brushing his.

Haruhi tensed in his arms, and looked up at him. He stared blankly back at her for a second, then it struck him. He was very noticeably aroused, and was currently pressed against her. He blushed, began to mumble an apology and pull gently away from her. Before he could step back, Haruhi was kissing him again. He stood still, mentally thanking God for her ability to take things in stride, and kissed her back.

A minute later he realized she was guiding them towards the nearest couch, and grinned at her assertiveness. He allowed her to push him gently down onto the couch and settle herself on top of him.

"Now where did I leave off yesterday?" she bit her lip as she pondered. "Oh yeah." She undid the buttons of his shirt eagerly, frowning when one button went flying off.

"Just so you know, I'm adding that to your debt," Kyoya smirked.

"Maybe I can change your mind about that," Haruhi said mischievously, before turning her attention to the sight before her. Her hands skimmed over his chest and down to his stomach. She marveled at the ridges of his well-defined abdomen, stroking them softly, watching them tense at her touch. She placed a kiss on the center of his chest, then kissed his throat, felt his rapid pulse with her tongue. She kissed his lips softly. Having remained motionless until now, he cupped her face and intensified the kiss. She arched against him instinctively. Whenever he tried something new with his tongue, she moaned and tried to press herself closer to him.

After several minutes, Kyoya was on the edge. Every time that she shifted her hips and rubbed against him was exquisite torture. He kissed his way to her ear, letting his tongue sweep it lightly. Haruhi moaned and once more arched her hips unknowingly. Kyoya groaned and tensed. "Okay I'll forget about the button, Haruhi, if you please just don't move for a minute."

Concerned by the look of pain on his face, Haruhi squirmed to sit up. Kyoya gasped and tensed up even more. "Please, Haruhi. Just stay still. I'll take off a fifth of your debt." Haruhi froze in place. Kyoya closed his eyes. He forced himself to take deep, even breaths.

A minute later, still motionless, Haruhi asked gently, "Kyoya, are you okay?"

He smiled ruefully, "Yes, I'm fine now."

"Can I move then? We only have about ten minutes before class starts."

They both sat up and quickly re-buttoned Kyoya's shirt. They went to the door to retrieve their ties and jackets. A few minutes later, they were both dressed properly and ready for class. Kyoya kissed her forehead, unlocked the door, and left. A minute later, Haruhi left for her own class. She hummed to herself, thinking happily of her greatly decreased debt. Then she frowned, worrying about Kyoya's recurring leg cramps.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Haruhi came rushing into the classroom right as the teacher arrived. She hurried to seat herself at her desk between Hikaru and Kaoru. The twins looked at each other, then bent to write something. Two notes landed on top of Haruhi's desk. Both notes read: "Why late?"

Haruhi looked at each twin and mouthed that she would tell them later. She turned her attention to the teacher, and remained absorbed in the rest of the lecture. As soon as class was over and they stepped out into the hall, Haruhi had an arm slung around her waist, and another around her shoulder.

Before either twin had a chance to speak, Haruhi explained, "I forgot to set my alarm last night and I overslept. I pretty much had to run to school this morning."

Hikaru looked at her, "You should've called us."

"Yeah," Kaoru added, "we could've sent a car for you."

Haruhi smiled, pleased by their thoughtfulness.

"Because what fun is school without our toy."

"And we need you on time to take good notes."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, and mumbled "Rich bastards."

"Did you say something, Haruhi?" Hikaru bent his head closer to her. On her other side, Kaoru did the same.

"Eh, nothing. Next time I'll call, thanks," she said clearly.

"Haruhi?" Kaoru questioned, "Why do you smell different?"

"Yeah, Haruhi," Hikaru sniffing her suspiciously, "like cologne. It smells familiar, but I can't remember why."

Haruhi was speechless for a second. Her mind raced to think of excuses about why she would smell like Kyoya. "Well you see…"

"Yesterday, I suggested to Haruhi that smelling like a boy would complete the effect of dressing like one. I let her borrow some of my cologne to use until she acquired some of her own," a calm, cool voice said behind them.

They halted and turned to see Kyoya behind them. He was casually writing something in his notebook.

"Yeah, that's why," Haruhi hurried to agree.

"Oh. Good idea, Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru said, as the twins turned Haruhi back in the direction of their next class.

They squeezed her tighter as they leaned to whisper in her ears.

"We'll bring you something that smells better tomorrow," Hikaru whispered loudly, purposely letting his words drift back to Kyoya.

"And we won't charge you for it," Kaoru added in the same pretend whisper.

Kyoya's eyes flashed with irritation, not because the twins were teasing him, but because they were wrapped so tightly around Haruhi. He had taken this route to his next class, hoping to get the chance to walk with her to her next class. Instead, the Hitachins were glued to her sides taking up all of her attention. At the same time, he was bothered by his jealousy because he actually cared about the prank-loving twins, though he'd never admit it, and he was glad that they were actually beginning to expand their world. Still, he was thankful that they were a long way from being able to deal with the idea of girlfriends.

Kyoya scribbled a note into his notebook and tore it out. "Haruhi," he said, halting the trio once more, "the reason I was forced to come this way is because I have a message for you from your father. He tried calling you, but you're phone was off. So he called me… while I was in class," he said ominously, causing the twins to pale and hide behind Haruhi, "and dictated this message for you. Since this was a first offense, I won't charge you for it." He smirked as he held out a note.

"Uh…thank you, Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi said looking at him skeptically, but she smiled when he purposely brushed his fingers against hers as he handed her the note. Hikaru and Kaoru read over her shoulder as she quickly scanned the sheet: "To my dearest daughter Haruhi. You forgot your bento this morning. I have asked Kyoya-kun to provide lunch for you today. He has agreed on the condition that you repay him with a bento tomorrow. Hugs and kisses, Dad." Haruhi glared at Kyoya; her bento was in her bag. She read the silent plea in his eyes, so subtle that most people wouldn't catch it, but she did, and she couldn't stay upset. She sighed and grumbled, "Thanks, Kyoya-senpai."

"Haruhiiii!" Tamaki yelled from down the hall, bounding towards them. Haruhi took a deep breath and braced herself for impact. A second later she was caught in an exuberant bear-hug. "Oh, how I've missed you," Tamaki proclaimed dramatically as he whirled her around.

"Put me down, senpai. I just saw you yesterday," she said in a bored tone.

Tamaki collapsed and crawled to a dark corner to pout.

"Tono," the twins said as they hovered over him, "Haruhi is making a bento for Kyoya-senpai tomorrow."

Hikaru continued, "Shouldn't she make one for the entire family?"

Kaoru added, "Wouldn't it be a good commoner experience for us?"

Tamaki recovered immediately, "You guys make an excellent point. Families should eat bentos together. Oh I can't wait to taste my daughter's delicious home-cooking. Mother! Make Haruhi fix all of us bentos for tomorrow," Tamaki cried.

Kyoya knew he was going to suffer for this turn of events, but he couldn't help being amused by the twins' quick manipulation of Tamaki. Haruhi was glaring daggers at all of them. Smarter men would've quaked in fright, but Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki were already chattering obliviously about the delights that awaited them at lunch tomorrow.

While the three idiots were thus occupied, Kyoya quietly said to Haruhi, "Save the receipts and I'll reimburse you for what you spend making the lunches."

"Oh you're going to do much more than that," Haruhi muttered. Before Kyoya could respond, she was dragging the twins off to class.

Kyoya stared at the retreating figures for a moment, before turning in the direction of his own class. At his side, Tamaki rambled on excitedly.

Later at lunch time, Kyoya waited patiently near the cafeteria entrance for Haruhi to show up. When she arrived alone, Kyoya asked, "No Hitachin escort this afternoon?"

"The teacher is still speaking to them about disrupting the class."

"Oh?"

Haruhi grinned recalling the few minutes of chaos, "Let's just say it involved ducks and a very angry chicken."

Kyoya smiled at the scene that played in his head, "I'm guessing you won't be ordering any poultry for lunch today."

Haruhi's face brightened at the thought of lunch. Even though Kyoya had manipulated her, she was looking forward to the high-class meal.

He led her to one of the lunch counters where they ordered their food. Kyoya told the lunch attendant to add Haruhi to his account. Holding their trays, they turned to look for a table.

"Hmm. I'd eat with you, but it seems like we've already drawn attention," Kyoya said ruefully, indicating the clusters of fangirls who were staring at them and whispering to each other. In his head, he cursed them for being so obsessive and nosy about all things Host Club related, even though he would normally be thinking of a way to profit from the situation.

"I see what you mean. Then, thank you for lunch Kyoya. And here," she reached into her pocket and withdrew a small, folded piece of paper, "a message from my father," she said sarcastically. She tucked the note into his jacket pocket, and headed to an empty table.

Kyoya sat down at a different table, and read the short message: "My house, tomorrow morning at six. Don't be late. Hugs and kisses." He grinned. He had known she was going to make him suffer somehow. He hated waking up early. He carefully re-folded the note and put it back in his pocket. His lunch tasted especially good today.

At her own table, Haruhi was in gourmet heaven. She didn't even mind when Hikaru and Kaoru showed up and made a huge fuss over her obvious enjoyment of the food. After school at the Host Club room, the twins teased Tamaki for having missed the scene. Tamaki insisted on buying Haruhi lunch the next day so that he could witness her "very touching commoner reaction to high-class food."

"But, I thought Haru-chan was going to make bentos for all of us," Huni reminded him.

Tamaki fell to pouting, but instantly recovered. He checked to see that Haruhi was still on the other side of the room. "Now listen up," he gathered the male Host Club members in a circle, "tomorrow we must not hurt Haruhi's feelings if her commoner bentos are not up to our rich standards. We'll have to be brave and make her feel good no matter what. So, the name of the game is: Who can enjoy Haruhi's bento the most!"

The twins and Huni cheered. Kyoya adjusted his glasses. Mori stood there.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The maids clutched each other's hands for support as they quietly eased the door open to their young master's room. The house staff had received instructions to wake him up at precisely 5 a.m., and they had drawn straws to see who would be stuck with the frightening task. They peered into the dark room and saw Kyoya sleeping peacefully in the middle of his king-sized bed. They gulped, silently approached the bed, and said hesitantly, "Kyoya-bocchama?" There was no response from the young man. They looked at each other, and tried again louder this time, "Kyoya-bocchama!"

Kyoya sat up slowly, an aura of dark anger surrounding him. He looked at his bedside clock, then fixed his gaze on the maids huddled together on the far side of his room. He glared at the maids coldly, sending them scurrying behind a curtain, then he sank back into his pillows and closed his eyes.

_Haruhi. _He groaned and sat up again. He called over to the maids, "You can come out from behind there. Thank you for waking me." The two maids fled the room. In a daze, Kyoya rose and stumbled to the bathroom to shower. Feeling somewhat refreshed, he dressed in casual clothes and went downstairs to eat breakfast. In the dining room he considered the usual, sumptuous array of food spread out on the table. He beckoned to a nearby server, "Have the chef pack my breakfast to-go, enough for two, no make that three people. Then have it brought out to my morning car."

"Right away," the servant left to complete the task.

At 5:40, Haruhi turned off the water in her shower, and was reaching for a towel when she heard the doorbell ring. She dried her short hair briskly with the towel, pulled on her bathrobe, and hurried to answer the door. She was surprised to see Kyoya standing before her looking cool and alert. Based on the rumors of the "Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord," she had expected him to look angry and tired. Trying to shake her thoughts aside, she said, "Kyoya, you're early."

"Good morning, Haruhi," he smirked, "Don't look so shocked. I can wake up early when there's enough merit to it." When she still looked at him blankly, he added, "I thought since I didn't get to eat lunch with you yesterday, we could eat breakfast together today." He held up a huge basket.

"Oh," she smiled, "Come in." She stepped back to allow him to enter and remove his shoes. "Sorry, I'm not quite ready yet," she apologized, gesturing to herself, "I just got out of the shower."

His eyes gleamed with appreciation as he took in the sight of her. She was wrapped in a thick, blue terry bathrobe that barely reached her knees. Her skin was glowing from the recent scrubbing, and her hair was damp and tousled. She reached up to brush a strand of hair from her eyes, but when she lowered her arm, her bathrobe slipped slightly off her shoulder. The clean, sweet smell of her shampoo drifted to him, igniting flashbacks of the previous morning. Kyoya gulped, "Why don't I set up breakfast while you go and change."

"Okay, if you don't mind," she smiled and left.

A few minutes later, she returned wearing shorts and a snug, faded t-shirt. He was setting out the last dish, and Haruhi just stood there staring at the food. Almost every breakfast item imaginable was on her table. There were even bottled juices and water. "Isn't this a little much, Kyoya?" she asked even though her eyes were wide with anticipation.

He looked at the food and shrugged. "I put some in the refrigerator for your father when he wakes up later. Now, let's eat."

Haruhi needed no further encouragement. Kyoya discreetly watched her as she ate. Seeing her cute, blissful face as she savored the food, he could actually understand why the twins and Tamaki enjoyed watching her eat.

Between bites, they talked candidly about school, which led to a discussion of future plans. Haruhi wanted to go to law school of course, but she was amazed to learn that Kyoya wanted to get both a medical degree and a business degree. She admired his dedication to his family's business. "I guess understanding the medical aspect will be useful when it comes to running your family's corporation," she said.

"What makes you assume my father will choose me to run the business? Do you forget I have two older brothers?" Kyoya asked, sounding amused.

Haruhi smiled and answered bluntly, "No, I just assume your father isn't an idiot. I can't imagine anyone being more deserving or capable than you."

Kyoya forced himself not to blush at her honest praise, "I see, well," he busied himself with putting trays back into the basket, "anyways we should get to those bentos. That is why I'm here right?"

Haruhi helped him clean up, "Yes, since you're the reason I ended up with this job in the first place." She led him to the kitchen. "I bought all the ingredients yesterday, and I started cooking rice before I took my shower, so it should be ready now."

"So we have about," he checked the time, "an hour to prepare the bentos if we want to get to school as early as you usually do."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I reviewed my class notes last night, so as long as we're on time for school we'll be fine."

"Okay then about two hours. What do we do first?"

She gave Kyoya the easy, but tedious task of washing and chopping vegetables, while she did the rest of the work. The countertop and floor around the sink were soon wet, as was most of Kyoya's shirt. He tried different ways to speed up his job, resulting in smashed or flying vegetables. Though she tried not to, Haruhi couldn't help but laugh at the look of intense concentration on his face.

He glanced up from the chopping board to glare at her, but seeing how happy she was, he smirked instead. An hour later, all of the food was cooked and arranged neatly in bento boxes. He watched as Haruhi quickly wrapped each box in a colorful cloth, then he placed all of the boxes in a bag.

He looked at Haruhi. She was still as neat as when they had started. He examined his own wet clothes, brushing off stray vegetable pieces from his shirt. "That wasn't so bad. We still have an hour to spare," he said trying not to sound tired.

Haruhi hid a smile by heading to the sink, "Why don't you go rest a little while I clean up in here real qui- yahh" she cried, slipping backward on the wet floor. She grabbed for the closest thing, and grasped a handful of Kyoya's shirt. She heard a ripping sound as she continued to fall. Before she hit the floor, Kyoya dropped to his knees and caught her.

She opened her eyes, which had been squeezed shut, meeting his amused gaze. He looked down pointedly at his badly torn shirt, then back at Haruhi, and smirked.

Haruhi groaned and covered her face with her hands. "That was expensive, huh?" she mumbled through her hands.

Kyoya grinned, "Do you really have to ask?"

Haruhi sighed, "Sorry, Kyoya. Please just add it to my debt," she tried to sit up, but his firm hold on her did not loosen.

"Tell you what, I'll let this shirt incident slide. Last time I tried to add to your debt I ended up lowering it by a fifth."

Haruhi blushed, remembering what else had happened last time. She didn't fully understand what came over her whenever she was with Kyoya. When he was near, she couldn't stop her body's response to him. His cool self-control made her feel free enough to be completely uninhibited with him, to explore him, and thus herself, without worry of being pressured into more than she wanted. She smiled up at him.

Kyoya looked down at her in his arms, and did what he had wanted to do all morning, he kissed her. Her lips clung to his as he sat back against the counter with her on his lap. She repositioned herself to ease the strain on her neck, and absorbed herself in kissing him. Her fingertips traced the tear in his soaked shirt, and she eased her hand through it to feel the cool, smooth skin underneath.

When Kyoya felt her warm hand stroking his chest he had to hold back a groan. It took so little from her to destroy his self-discipline. He grabbed her hand and trapped it against him. She freed her hand and instead reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. She sighed with pleasure when they were pressed close to each other.

A few minutes later, Haruhi's shirt was as wet as Kyoya's, and she shivered involuntarily from the chill. Kyoya felt her tremor and drew back, concerned. "I suggest we change out of these clothes before we both catch a cold."

Haruhi snuggled into him and buried her face in his neck for a moment, before she reluctantly agreed, "I guess we should get ready for school." Kyoya's arms had tightened around her instinctively, so she had to poke him gently before he freed her to stand.

She offered a hand to help him up, but he simply pulled her back down into his arms and kissed her again. Then he stood, lifting her easily, and set her blushing on her feet. "My uniform is in the car. Come out when you're ready." He grabbed the bag of lunches and the basket on his way out.

Haruhi quickly wiped the wet floor and counters, then changed into her school uniform. She left a note for her father about the food in the refrigerator, and went to join Kyoya in his limo. He was dry and neatly dressed in his own uniform.

A few minutes into the drive, a thought occurred to Haruhi. Kyoya carried her around like a sack of feathers and his muscles were nicely toned, but he didn't seem to be the type who participated in sports. "Kyoya? How are you so physically fit?"

Kyoya smirked, "You understand why I want to study medicine, right?"

"Because you're family's business deals with medical supplies and hospital management."

"Exactly. Well, as you know the Ootori Corporation is also greatly involved in private police and security forces."

"Wait, are you telling me you've studied that, too?" Haruhi asked in awe.

"Yes, I've learned different forms of martial arts, weapons use, and basic military tactics."

"So, you're like Huni-senpai and Mori-senpai?"

Kyoya smiled at this. "I would probably only last about five minutes against either of those guys, but I can hold my own against most other fighters."

"Wow, Kyoya. I'm impressed."

Since they were still early, they didn't worry about being seen arriving at school together. Haruhi went to her class, and Kyoya brought the bentos to the Host Club room.

At lunch…

Everyone except Haruhi was at the Host Club Room. They were waiting for her to start the meal.

Tamaki was pacing, impatient to taste the food and win the competition. "Hikaru, Kaoru. Why didn't Haruhi come here with you guys? What did you do to my daughter?!" he demanded.

"Calm down, Tono," Hikaru told him.

"She said she wanted to stop by the restroom to wash up," Kaoru said casually, but looked guilty.

Just then Haruhi walked into the room. Everyone immediately took several steps away from her. A cloud of cologne hung over her, and she looked furious.

Huni ventured a hug, "You smell nice, Haru-chan," but his lie was obvious as his eyes began to water from the fumes.

"Hikaru and Kaoru," she glared at them, "decided that I should try all of the colognes they had. As a result, I was asked to sit outside most of my morning classes because the girls around me kept fainting," she sounded exhausted now, "and my head is killing me." She began to sway slightly.

Mori quickly scooped her up and placed her on a couch. Tamaki hovered around her rambling hysterically about his sick daughter. Huni tried to fan her face with his stuffed bunny.

The twins stood next to each other, heads hung low in remorse. They knew their prank had gone too far.

Kyoya suggested calmly, "Why don't we let Haruhi rest, while we eat lunch. We don't want all of her hard work to go to waste do we?"

The rest of the Host Club immediately responded to his suggestion, too enthusiastic to notice the anger and concern in Kyoya's eyes.

Tamaki proclaimed, "We must show Haruhi how much we appreciate her meal so that her heart will achieve its highest bliss and lead to her speedy recovery."

They attacked their lunches.

Tamaki ate, tears streaming down his face, "This could be my last meal, and I would die the happiest man in the world. A father couldn't be more proud than I am at this moment."

The twins, after tasting their food, declared it was too good to share even with each other. They quickly reconciled and began to feed each other, lavishly praising each bite, occasionally rolling on the floor and pounding the table in delight.

Huni finished his meal quickly, then announced, "That was so good, Haru-chan, that I don't even want dessert now." Everyone stopped and stared at him. Huni smiled back happily, then began to fidget. He looked over at the table of desserts and his eyes began to glisten with tears.

Mori was actually ignoring Huni, and was instead focused on eating his bento.

"So Kyoya, who do you think wins this contest?" Tamaki asked out loud. When no response came, he turned and realized Kyoya was no longer at the table. Tamaki heard the twins gasp and turned to see what had surprised them. Haruhi was gone, too.

Everyone rushed around the room checking under tables, behind couches, and under pillows. Tamaki was in a frenzy, alternately yelling out "Haruhi" and "Everyone, stay calm."

Kyoya cleared his throat. Everyone froze. He was standing in front of a door at the back of the room. "I brought Haruhi to our private restroom. She needs to take a bath to get rid of the smell," he looked at the twins, who cringed behind Tamaki, "and I gave her a spare uniform to change into. She might need to miss her next class."

Tamaki took charge, "Good job. Okay! Kyoya, you notify the office of Haruhi's temporary absence. Hikaru, Kaoru, you guys get to class and take good notes for Haruhi. And Mori-senpai, you guard this door and make sure no one disturbs her." Everyone rushed to follow orders.

Huni bounced eagerly in front of Tamaki, "Tama-chan, what about me?" he asked excitedly.

"Huni-senpai, you eat the cakes please," pointing to the dessert table.

Huni muttered to himself as he sat alone eating a mountain of cake.

In the Host Club's private bath, Haruhi sank with pleasure into the warm bath. The worst of the smell had washed away with the shower she just took. She closed her eyes, finally able to relax. After Kyoya carried her here, it had taken Haruhi several minutes to extract a promise from him to not have the twins exiled from Japan or anything like that.

On his way to the administrative office, Kyoya looked as calm as ever, but he was still seething with anger at the foolish Hitachins. He had already planned a brilliant scheme for revenge, but Haruhi had refused to bathe until he swore not to punish the twins. Since she had already been green with nausea from the heavy cologne, Kyoya was left with no other choice but to promise. Kyoya sighed, feeling sorry for yet another of his plans shot down by Haruhi Fujioka.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A few weeks later…

Friday afternoon, the Host Club's doors had long since closed to customers, but the Host Club remained gathered to discuss an upcoming dance. Since their president had a tendency to chatter on about dozens of different ideas at once, meetings generally ran long. Thus, they tried to make themselves as comfortable as possible by arranging couches around a low coffee table near the west windows. On one couch sat Mori and Huni, who was still busily polishing off several slices of triple-layered cake. On the next couch sat Kyoya, with his laptop before him, typing intently. On the largest couch, Tamaki was at the edge of his seat shooting out ideas and fantasies in rapid succession, oblivious to the fact that most of the members were no longer paying attention to him. On the last and smallest couch, Haruhi was once more sandwiched between the twins.

Hikaru was watching Haruhi from the corner of his eye. She was facing Tamaki, but he could tell from her vacant gaze that her mind was elsewhere. He wanted to get her attention, but after the terrible cologne cloud incident, the twins had made an unspoken agreement to be nice to Haruhi for a little while. He counted back the number of days that had passed and decided that three weeks was a more than generous enough respite. He caught Kaoru's eye, and Kaoru understood immediately. Their toy was once more open game.

Kaoru reached over and tapped Mori's arm lightly, then pointed to a plate with a small slice of cake on it. Mori eyed the large slices of cake still in front of Huni, then quietly passed the plate and a small fork to Kaoru. Kaoru took a bite and let a look of enjoyment cross his face. He silently offered Haruhi a taste, which she refused with a wave of her hand.

Kaoru scooped up another bite of cake with a lot of frosting and reached to offer it to Hikaru. The frosting brushed Haruhi's chin lightly, leaving a small dab below her lips. Kaoru's eyes widened in feigned surprise and apology, then he withdrew his offering and ate the bite himself. Hikaru knew what he was supposed to do, but he hesitated and blushed. Before Hikaru could lean over and lick off the frosting, Haruhi brushed it away with her fingertips, then passed the plate and fork to Hikaru. Kaoru looked at Hikaru questioningly, but Hikaru looked down at the plate on his lap.

Their attention focused on Haruhi, the twins did not notice that Kyoya's typing had stopped. When the frosting caught on Haruhi's chin, Kyoya's eyes glinted with anger. However, when Hikaru blushed and failed to follow through with the set-up, a flash of worry crossed Kyoya's face. _Is she finally more than a toy to Hikaru? _His attention focused on the trio in front of him, Kyoya did not notice the two seniors observing him.

Haruhi had been mentally planning her homework for the weekend when her thoughts were interrupted by the twins' cake. Fearing they would soon spill the entire slice on her, she quickly passed the plate to Hikaru. As discreetly as possible she glanced at the time on her cell phone. She was shocked to see how long the meeting had been going on. She had stayed up really late studying for a test she took earlier that day, so she was exhausted. She cast a beseeching look towards Kyoya. Kyoya's eyes glimmered with amusement.

Kyoya cleared his throat, halting Tamaki mid-sentence. Everyone turned to hear what he would say. "I believe your idea about using the ballroom adjoining the main solarium will be perfect." Tamaki beamed proudly, but everyone else stared at Kyoya with looks of shocked outrage. Tamaki had presented that idea almost an hour ago, and that idea had been subtly suggested by Kyoya almost a week ago. The Shadow King had let Tamaki prattle on and on even though a choice had already been made.

Despite her irritation about the wasted time, she understood Kyoya's actions. Kyoya knew that Tamaki really enjoyed Host Club meetings.

Kyoya continued, "Luck seems to be on our side since the dance happens to be on a night with a full moon." Haruhi knew luck had nothing to do with it, and was again amazed by his planning abilities. "Please inform your customers next week that those who purchase the limited edition Deluxe Host Club Picture Package will be entitled to a moonlit stroll through the solarium with her host of choice." Guided subtly by Kyoya, the meeting was soon concluded.

Haruhi stood and covered a yawn with her hand, blinking her eyes sleepily. Tamaki saw this and his imagination quickly swept him away… Tamaki's Inner Mind Theater: On a bed bathed in sparkling morning sunlight, Haruhi sits up wearing nothing more than a tangle of sheets. She stretches her arms upward and yawns delicately, then smiles at him and says sweetly, "Good morning, dear."

Kyoya remained seated and eyed Tamaki as the idiot stood blushing with his eyes closed and a sloppy grin on his face. Tamaki was murmuring, "Did you sleep well, my princess?"

Hikaru and Kaoru tapped his shoulders, "Tono, are you having perverted thoughts again?"

Tamaki crumpled to the floor and whined to Kyoya, "Mother, they don't understand the pure love I have for my dear Haruhi."

Hikaru looked at him skeptically, "Pure? And we didn't say anything about Haruhi."

Kaoru added, "And don't you mean your dear 'daughter' Haruhi?"

Tamaki stammered, "Of – of course." When the twins rolled their eyes and walked away, Tamaki retreated to his dark corner to pout.

Kyoya watched him and frowned slightly. He had also noticed that lately Tamaki had been referring to Haruhi as his 'daughter' less and less. He pushed the thought from his mind and called out to Haruhi who was heading towards the door, "Haruhi," he said coolly, "I need you to stay again to discuss your debt."

The five other Host Club members closed the doors behind them as they left Haruhi and Kyoya in the Host Club room. As they walked down the hall, Kaoru said casually, "Kyoya-senpai seems a lot more concerned about Haruhi's debt."

"And I think he has even stopped adding to it," Hikaru observed out loud.

Tamaki halted them in a panic, "But if Haruhi pays off her debt, then she'll leave the Host Club, won't she?"

Kaoru nodded, "And everyone will probably find out she's a girl."

"Wah. I don't want Haru-chan to leave us," Huni cried, clutching his stuffed bunny. Mori put a comforting hand on the little senior's head.

Tamaki rubbed his chin as he pondered. Then he pointed a finger in the air, "I get it. Kyoya is purposely trying to get Haruhi out of the Host Club!" he declared sadly. Everyone stared at him, so he sighed and continued, "It's obvious he must be jealous of Haruhi." Everyone still looked confused. "Because we all pay more attention to her than to him."

"Ohhh," Kaoru said, "Now that I think about it, he does seem to ignore her unless he wants to discuss her debt. And he always wants to discuss her debt, probably to make her pay it back faster."

"And he does seem kind of irritated whenever Kaoru and I are playing with her. You're right, he must've been jealous of her," Hikaru agreed.

"Poor Mother, suffering from our neglect in silence," Tamaki cried dramatically, "How could I have been so blind?"

Huni looked up at Mori worriedly. Mori shook his head, silently telling Huni not to interfere. Mori and Huni had already discussed the observed change in Kyoya's behavior concerning Haruhi, but they had come to a completely different conclusion. In the end, the seniors had agreed to let matters unfold naturally.

Tamaki considered aloud, "Hmm… we need to make Kyoya get over his jealousy and, in the meantime, keep Haruhi from paying off her debt." He snapped his fingers, "I propose a new game. Now it has two parts, so we're all going to have to work twice as hard. The name of the game is: Who can shower Kyoya with the most attention and add the most to Haruhi's debt!"

The twins cheered. Huni smiled half-heartedly. Mori stood there.

As soon as the rest of the Host Club was gone, Haruhi dragged herself to the couch where Kyoya was seated. Along the way she dropped her bag on the floor, shrugged out of her coat, and removed her tie. She sat down next to him, tilted her head to rest it against the side of his shoulder, and let out a weary sigh. She closed her eyes.

Kyoya put his laptop aside and eased his arm around her. He smiled when she nestled closer to him."Haruhi?" he said gently.

"Hmm?"

"I think we should tell them soon."

Haruhi mumbled sleepily into his side, "Why is that?"

He thought about Tamaki and Hikaru and all of the things he had been noticing lately. To his relief, he was saved from having to answer by the soft sound of Haruhi's slow and even breathing. She had dozed off.

He let Haruhi sleep for several minutes while he considered their situation with the Host Club. Now he had to worry that both Tamaki and Hikaru might get hurt when they found out. Plus, Haruhi would hate being the reason for either friend's pain.

Haruhi shifted in her sleep and murmured his name. Kyoya gazed down at her relaxed peacefully against him and he felt his chest tighten. He had to make everything work out, because he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. He kissed the top of her head and said softly, "Hey, Haruhi." She stirred. "Let me take you home now."

Haruhi opened her eyes and looked confused for a few seconds as she recalled where she was. Remembering, she buried her face in his chest, "Tired. Just a few more minutes."

Kyoya smiled again. "Okay." He shifted them until he was leaning back against the plush armrest with her resting on top of him. He forgot his troubles as he held her, and he soon fell asleep.

"Kyoya. Kyoya. I have to go home." Haruhi was anxiously poking Kyoya's chest. The sun was beginning to set, and she couldn't get up with Kyoya's arms around her so securely. "Kyoya, wake up." A dark aura of anger began to form around Kyoya as he slowly opened his eyes. Not knowing what else to do, she kissed him. In an instant, the anger disappeared.

_I must be dreaming_. Haruhi was on top of him with her lips pressed gently to his. Kyoya kissed her back hungrily and skimmed his hands down her back. He pulled her hips firmly against his, eliciting a gasp from her. Kyoya intensified the kiss and gently cupped her soft breasts. He could feel her nipples harden beneath the thin layers of fabric, and he circled them lightly with his thumbs. She moaned softly. He quickly unbuttoned her shirt and slid it off her shoulders and down her arms.

He stared at her. In the light of the setting sun, her fair skin was glowing golden and her eyes were luminous pools of honey. _She's so beautiful. _Almost reverently, he touched her soft cheek with his fingertips, and traced a line down her neck, over her delicate collar bone, and across the gentle swells of her breasts. Haruhi blushed, and even though she was still wearing a bra, she tried to cover herself by crossing her arms. Kyoya stopped her, slowly drew her arms around his neck, and kissed her deeply. This moment became permanently ingrained in his memory, and for the rest of his life he could close his eyes and remember every detail - the sunlight, her silky skin, her soft lips, and the heart-stopping sense of completion.

Haruhi was startled by Kyoya's sudden forwardness and had initially been swept away by his kisses and the new sensations. The shock and pleasure had forced all worries from her mind. Seeing the look on his face as he stared at her, she blushed. They had not spoken the words to each other, but love shone so blatantly in his eyes that words were unnecessary. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, her whole heart was in the kiss.

In the next moment, however, reality came crashing back. Across the room, the phone in Haruhi's bag began to ring. Kyoya froze, confusion in his eyes, as he looked around the room for the first time since waking. He looked back at Haruhi on top of him, shirtless. It dawned on him. _Not a dream. Oh God, not a dream. What have I done?_ "Haruhi, I'm sorry. Forgive me. I don't know what came over me." He fumbled with her shirt as he tried to drape it over her shoulders.

Haruhi pushed her arms into the sleeves and struggled to get up, but he held her in place. Her phone was still ringing. "It's ok, Kyoya." He studied her face. "Really, Kyoya, there's no need to apologize," she kissed him quickly to reassure him. Relieved, he helped her up and she raced across the room to her phone. She had feared it was her father home from work early, and sighed when she saw Tamaki's picture flashing on the caller-ID screen. She slid the phone into her pocket without answering it and quickly buttoned up her shirt. She scooped up her tie and stuffed it into her bag. She pulled her coat on hurriedly and turned to Kyoya, who was waiting with his bag already in hand. "It was just Tamaki-senpai. Let's go."

In his limo, Kyoya tried to apologize again, "I really am sorry, Haruhi. I fell asleep, and these dreams lately, and the next thing I knew we were kissing, and I got carried away, but still it's no excuse for me to take such liberties, and it won't happen again, and…" he continued to ramble apologetically.

Haruhi giggled because she had never seen him look flustered, and she finally silenced him with a hand on his knee. "Stop. It's okay," she said firmly, then added teasingly, "but if it makes you feel better you can take it out of my debt."

Kyoya grinned, "Nice try."

She looked anxiously at her phone clock.

"Is your dad going to be really worried?" he asked. It was nearly dark outside.

"No, he'd assume I was with you. It's just that he's going to come home to eat before going to his next shift, and I still have to prepare dinner. He works so hard for us, the least I can do is have his meal ready for him."

"Oh." Kyoya thought for a moment, flipped open his phone, and dialed a number. He spoke into the phone, "What is being served for dinner tonight? Excellent. Have a meal for four delivered to the Fujioka residence right away. Very good." He flipped his phone shut, and turned to Haruhi, "Dinner will be served in half an hour."

Haruhi looked surprised, "Thank you, Kyoya. You didn't have to trouble yourself." In her mind, she began to panic thinking about the cost of the meal.

Kyoya read her mind, "No, it's not being added to your debt. Think of it as part of my apology."

They were almost at her apartment when she asked him, "I'm guessing you're staying for dinner, but why did you ask for a meal for four people?"

Kyoya smirked, "You didn't answer his phone call. Where do you think that idiot is going to show up?"

They reached her apartment, pulling up behind another limo.

Haruhi sighed and rubbed her temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache. "Plan D seems appropriate right now."

Kyoya smiled, "Plan D it is then." He reached into one of the limo's side compartments and pulled out a small white paper bag

Tamaki came running to the car and yanked open the door, "Mother! Has something happened to our daughter? She didn't answer my phone calls either! I talked to her landlady, but-" He stopped when he peered into the dark car and saw Haruhi with Kyoya. "Haruhi?"

Kyoya climbed out of the car. He said coolly, "Haruhi has a headache. I had to take her to see a doctor, then to pick up medicine. " He tossed the paper bag to Tamaki, who caught it and looked inside at a prescription slip and a bottle full of pills. "I ordered food since she isn't feeling well enough to cook. I assume you'll be staying, too?"

Tamaki nodded and rushed to help Haruhi out of the car, "My dear daughter, why did you trouble Mother so much? You should have called me." He turned to Kyoya, "Mother, just add all of this to Haruhi's debt." Leaving Haruhi standing next to the car, Tamaki slung an arm around a stunned Kyoya's shoulder and walked with him to Haruhi's apartment. Haruhi stared after them in shock, then rushed to catch up and open the door.


	7. Chapter 7

The following Thursday…

Kyoya walked hurriedly to his next class. He glanced to his left and to his right, praying he would get to his next class before –

"Kyoya-senpaiii," two identical voices called out from behind him.

Kyoya suppressed a grimace as he turned to face his twin tormentors. This entire week, it had been a constant struggle for him to avoid Hikaru and Kaoru, who seemed determined to seize every opportunity to remain glued to his side. Between classes they would appear out of thin air, during his free period they would find him wherever he tried to hide, and during Host Club hours they circled their brotherly love act around him. He did not know how Haruhi could stand their never ending games and their lack of respect for personal space. At first Kyoya had blamed Haruhi for his newly acquired shadows, thinking it some kind of joke or form of revenge. However, when he saw that Haruhi was occupied with troubles of her own, he realized she was not the culprit.

The twins each looped an arm through one of Kyoya's and steered him back in the direction of his next class. Kyoya tried, unsuccessfully, to shake off their grasp, "It's really unnecessary for you guys to walk me to class everyday, every period," he said coolly. "Need I remind you, I have an entire police squad ready at the push of a button," he continued, his voice dripping with warning, "should I require assistance of any kind."

The twins gulped, but hung on bravely. "Don't be silly, Kyoya," Kaoru began.

"Yeah, we're not here to help you," Hikaru continued.

"We just like spending time with you," they finished. And, to their surprise, it was actually somewhat true. In the past few days they had learned a lot about the mysterious Shadow King. Kyoya was actually funny even though his sense of humor was very much on the dry side. The twins considered him a great source of amusement, especially when he was pretending to be annoyed by them. Also, Hikaru and Kaoru had never realized how much effort he put into planning Host Club events. During most of the time they spent following him, Kyoya was on the phone or on his lap top or writing memos or making schedules. And throughout all of this work, Kyoya was able to fend them off, halfheartedly participate in their games, or subtly insult them. They were also in awe of the way he was able to manipulate and manage everyone around him, including the teachers and school administrators. They drooled imagining all the pranks he could probably pull off.

One thing the Hitachins couldn't understand, however, was that despite all of the attention they were lavishing on him, Kyoya still remained terse and cool towards Haruhi. Even though Kyoya tried to hide it, the twins could feel him tense up whenever she was around, and he seemed to go out of his way to avoid her.

When they reached Kyoya's class, the twins finally released him. Kyoya sighed, straightened his tie, smoothed the sleeves of his coat, and braced himself for his next ordeal. Tamaki. Ever since dinner at Haruhi's last Friday, Tamaki had been Kyoya's other shadow. In the classes they had together, which were most of them, Tamaki moved their desks next to each other. During class the idiot passed an endless supply of notes, all of which Kyoya glanced at then tossed aside. After Host Club hours, Tamaki insisted on going home with Kyoya to do homework. At night, Kyoya's cell phone was flooded with inane text messages from the president.

To Kyoya's surprise, today Tamaki was sitting at his normal desk next to the wall at the front of the room. Kyoya breathed a sigh of relief as he went to his own desk at the back, grateful to get some peace and quiet for once. The teacher entered.

Five minutes into the class, Kyoya was paying close attention to the teacher's lecture. Suddenly, Kyoya heard the soft crackling sound of static and whispering – coming from under his desk. An aura of anger began to form around the Shadow King. _That idiot wouldn't dare._ Kyoya reached under his desk and felt something rectangular taped to the bottom of the table. Kyoya ripped the walkie-talkie out.

At the front of the classroom, "Kyoya, do you read me? Kyoya, this is the Host Club King, do you copy?" Tamaki whispered into his own walkie-talkie.

_CRASH!_

Tamaki yelped and ducked as a walkie-talkie smashed into the wall inches above his head. The class quickly descended into chaos as everyone turned and chattered trying to determine who had tried to assassinate Tamaki with a walkie-talkie.

Amidst the clamor, Kyoya calmly gathered his things, walked to the front of the room, asked the teacher for a pass to the nurse, and left. The last thing he heard as he stepped out into the hall was the teacher asking Tamaki to stop growing mushrooms under his desk. Kyoya flipped open his cell phone to make a call.

A few minutes later, a student aide walked into Haruhi's classroom. Haruhi was excused from class for a meeting with a scholarship counselor. Confused, Haruhi followed the aide to the assigned meeting room. Once they reached the room, the aide excused himself. Haruhi knocked on the door firmly, but heard no response. She turned the door knob and let herself into what was an office, calling out "Sorry for intruding. I was told to-" she stopped when she saw Kyoya leaning casually against a huge desk, half-sitting on its edge. His arms were crossed, and the glare in his glasses hid his eyes. He was alone in the spacious office.

"At least let me get rid of one of them," he said with frustration evident in his usually calm voice.

Haruhi sighed, locked the door behind her, and approached him. He uncrossed his arms and wrapped them loosely around her waist as she stepped to stand between his legs and lean forward against his chest.

"How about you make it two of them? A matching pair." Haruhi grumbled.

Kyoya felt his own irritation drain away as he held Haruhi. Kyoya smiled, "What did you break this time?"

"Another Hitachin family heirloom – 30,000 yen." Haruhi muttered.

Haruhi could feel Kyoya's chest rumbling with mirth. She nudged him with her elbow, "It's not funny. With all the stunts Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki have been pulling this week, my debt is almost back to where it started. And I was doing so well, too." She sighed and fiddled with his tie. "I'll never be able to pay it off at this rate."

They looked at each other, light bulbs going off in their heads.

"Those idiots."

Kyoya squeezed Haruhi to his chest and began to laugh. He had not considered that 'those idiots' would notice he was no longer adding to Haruhi's debt. It seemed they had now taken the task upon themselves.

"If you're done being amused by this," she nudged him in the ribs again, "maybe you'll remember they're targeting you, too."

Kyoya's laughter stopped immediately. His head drooped and came to rest on Haruhi's, "They won't leave me alone," he muttered. "I can see why they would want to add to your debt, but I can't figure out what they are trying to accomplish by torturing me."

It was Haruhi's turn to laugh. "Only you would consider your friends' company a form of torture."

"Friends?" Kyoya grumbled sarcastically.

Haruhi patted his shoulder comfortingly, then stepped out of his embrace. She walked around the desk to sit in the luxurious leather chair. Elbow on the armrest, she propped her chin up with a fist. "Hmm. Let's review our situations. They're smothering you with affection, at the same time doing everything stupidly possible to add to my debt. And based on the timing, it's all probably related somehow."

"Well if you're right about their attention being a form of affection and not torture, then it would seem as though they were trying to make sure neither of us would want to, or in your case be able to, leave the Host Club," Kyoya pondered, "But why would they be worried about that?"

They were both silent for a moment, then Haruhi sat up. "Think about how you and I have been acting whenever anyone else is around. We avoid each other like the plague unless we're talking about my debt."

Kyoya understood immediately. "You're right. We've been so focused on hiding our feelings for each other that we forgot to be friends around them still."

"And now they think we dislike each other, and they're worried one of us might try to leave the Host Club," Haruhi finished. "It's not fair. They act extra nice to you, but force me into more debt," she complained with her fists clenched. "Rich bastards."

Kyoya smirked. "Well we need to figure out a way to put an end to this because I don't know how much longer I can take it. Next time I might really aim for the idiot's head."

Haruhi sat back and crossed her arms, once again deep in thought. Kyoya walked around the desk to her chair. As he said, "Excuse me," he scooped her up and sat down in the chair with her on his lap. Haruhi didn't even seem to notice.

"Why don't we just gradually let our feeling for each other show? That way it will give everyone time to adjust," Haruhi suggested.

"That would take too long. They'll keep adding to your debt and bugging me in the meantime." He brushed his lips against the side of her neck, "Plus, I'm tired of having to stay away from you." Haruhi stopped him absentmindedly by placing her fingertips on his lips. Bringing his attention back to their problem, Kyoya proposed another idea, "What about me and you going out on a date?"

Haruhi looked up at him skeptically, "What will that accomplish?"

"I've been thinking, we want them to accept us as a couple, right? Well, in order for that to happen, they need to realize three things: one, that I'm good enough for you, two, that I'm actually good for you," then he hesitated. Even though it might complicate things, he had to tell her.

"And the third?" Haruhi prompted.

"That I'm better for you than either Tamaki or Hikaru would be." Kyoya said.

Haruhi looked confused, "What do those two have to do with …?" Her voice drifted to a whisper as realization struck. She blushed as she looked up at Kyoya for confirmation, "Are you saying…?"

Kyoya nodded, "They might not even realize it themselves yet, but it's definitely starting to happen."

Haruhi frowned and looked lost in thought. After several moments, she said suddenly, "Then you're right. We have to let them find out about us as soon as possible." She sighed with frustration and sadness. She didn't want to hurt either friend, but it would be kinder to reveal the truth to them before their feelings grew stronger. She shook her head, trying to re-gain her focus. "How is a date going to accomplish all of those things?"

Kyoya released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He had actually worried that Haruhi would give up their relationship in order to spare the feelings of those two idiots. Kyoya's glasses gleamed, "If they knew that we were going on a date, what would the Host Club do?"

Haruhi pondered for a second, then smiled, "They would spy on us. A date is perfect" She kissed his chin. "But first, you have to make them stop worrying about one of us leaving the Host Club. Otherwise they'll put me in debt for the rest of my life."

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, "I'll explain things to them tomorrow. At the same time I'll inform them of our date. Is Saturday okay for you?"

Haruhi thought about her schedule, "Yes, this weekend is a free one for me." She was actually looking forward to Saturday. With Tamaki and the twins taking up all of his free time, Haruhi had not been able to see or even speak to Kyoya lately. In fact, this was their first time alone since the incident on Friday. "Hey Kyoya, about last Friday…"

Kyoya grimaced, "I know, I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I - "

"No, what I mean is …" Haruhi blushed and mumbled, "I wouldn't mind if it did." A minute passed and still no response from Kyoya. Haruhi blushed even more. She couldn't force herself to look up at his face. "But of course you don't have to if you don't want to-"

Kyoya tipped her chin up and silenced her with a hard kiss. His hands shook with the effort it took to stop himself from immediately taking advantage of the permission granted. He didn't want to rush things with her, but she was making it almost impossible for him to resist. He felt her relax in his arms as she kissed him back sweetly. Just the taste of her, and his self-control was going up in flames. The heat building up between them soon had them shrugging off ties and jackets.

Haruhi shifted to straddle Kyoya, facing him as she hurriedly undid the buttons of his shirt. Haruhi let her hands roam his abs, and softly rained kisses on his chest and neck. Kyoya's self-control was reduced to nothing more than ashes. Quickly removed, Haruhi's shirt was tossed back carelessly onto the desk. Kyoya cupped her breasts gently and Haruhi moaned. He slipped a finger under the soft cotton of her bra and lightly stroked her hardened nipple, eliciting a gasp from her. Slowly, giving her time to protest, Kyoya reached behind her to undo the clasp. Self-conscious, Haruhi covered herself with her hands as the bra fell away. Kyoya kissed her, eased her hands aside, and pulled her into his embrace. All thoughts ceased as bare skin touched bare skin, and they became immersed purely in sensation.

Kyoya teased her nipples, squeezing them gently one moment, then lightly caressing them the next moment. He kissed all of the sensitive spots on her neck and collarbone. Haruhi moved against him restlessly, feeling his obvious arousal. She pressed herself against his hardness, trying to ease the growing feeling of emptiness within her. Kyoya groaned. Haruhi shifted even closer, she pleaded, "Kyoya, please," wanting something, but not knowing what exactly she needed from him to ease her tension. "Kyoya," she repeated.

Kyoya heard her soft pleas; felt her pressed snugly against him. He lifted her off of him, and laid her back on the desk, using her shirt to cushion her head. He leaned over her, kissing her, and stroking her soft breasts until she was once again restless with frustration. He caressed her thighs, slowly working his way to her core, until he was cupping her with his palm. Haruhi gasped as she felt the heat of his hand through the fabric of her pants. He rubbed her lightly, and she instinctively raised her hips to increase the contact. Kyoya reached for her zipper and stopped. He looked questioningly into Haruhi's eyes. She nodded.

He caressed her gently, slowly increasing the pressure and pace. His thumb made circles on her soft nub. Kyoya slid a finger into her slick heat. Haruhi groaned softly and grabbed desperately at his shoulders and upper arms as the tension inside her increased. In a flash of heat and ecstasy, she shattered. Kyoya felt her tighten around his finger, and he covered her lips with his own, swallowing up her moans of pleasure as she came apart in his arms.

A few minutes later, Kyoya looked down at her sprawled languidly on the desk, naked except for her pants pushed down to her knees. He heard her sigh and whisper, "That was wonderful, Kyoya." Kyoya's throat went dry and he gripped the edge of the desk until his knuckles turned white. He turned away abruptly and began to pace back and forth across the small office. He took deep, cooling breaths and tried to repress the lurid fantasies that were flashing through his brain. He wanted Haruhi so bad that it hurt, but he knew they weren't ready for that step yet.

Haruhi opened her eyes lazily. She felt too tired and satisfied to care about her state of undress. Kyoya's touch had brought her such incredible pleasure, feelings that she never knew existed. She opened her eyes lazily. She saw Kyoya pacing, and sat up on the edge of the desk. "Kyoya?" she asked softly. He stopped with his back to her. Haruhi continued, blushing, "Is there anything I can do for you, too? I mean to make you feel like I did."

Kyoya turned to face her slowly, "Haruhi, I didn't do that for you expecting something in return. You don't have to do anything."

Haruhi reached out her hand to him, "I want to."

Kyoya stepped closer to take her hand. He stood before her and kissed her.

Haruhi murmured against his lips, "Show me what to do."

Still kissing her, he gently drew her hand down to the hard ridge in his pants. He couldn't hold back a groan as he felt her stroke his length hesitantly. He stopped breathing when she slowly unzipped his pants. Her eyes widened as he freed himself through the front opening of his boxers. Kyoya gasped as she brushed the entire length of him with her soft fingertips. So close to his limit, Kyoya hurried to gently show her how to wrap her hand around him. He pressed his forehead to hers as she began to slowly stroke him up and down. Guided by his groans of pleasure, her pace quickened and her grip tightened. Kyoya reached into his back pocket for his handkerchief.

Haruhi loved being able to make him feel as good as he made her feel. She decided to experiment. She leaned forward to kiss the very tip of his length.

"Haruhi," Kyoya sounded tortured, "I can't…"

Haruhi looked up at him curiously, then darted her tongue out to lightly lick him. Kyoya groaned. Encouraged, Haruhi kissed and licked the entire length of him.

Kyoya clenched his jaw as he struggled to keep himself from exploding. He was floored by her eager curiosity and forwardness, and he didn't want to stop her exquisite exploration of him, but he didn't think he could hold back much longer. He wondered if she would … Kyoya's mind went blank as he felt her warm lips encircle him. Her soft, wet tongue curled around him – Kyoya groaned and jerked away. He covered the tip with his handkerchief. Haruhi wrapped her arms around his neck, and he kissed her hungrily as he lost himself in the pleasure.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I requested this impromptu meeting because I have something I need to tell all of you," Kyoya stood calmly before the seated male Host Club members.

"Hold on. Don't start the meeting yet. Haruhi still isn't here," Kaoru protested.

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, "She won't be attending."

The Host Club looked confused.

Tamaki stood up suddenly, "Kyoya, don't make Haruhi leave the Host Club. There's no need to be jealous of her anymore."

Kyoya stared at him blankly, "Jealous of her?" Kyoya shook his head in disbelief. "Idiots," he murmured, then out loud, "That is the misunderstanding I needed to speak to you guys about. I take it you have all noticed my reserved manner around Haruhi, and have mistaken it for jealousy."

"Wait, if you're not jealous of her, then what do you have against Haruhi?" Hikaru demanded.

"Yeah, why are you ignoring her and trying to help her leave the Host Club faster?" Kaoru queried.

Kyoya responded calmly, "I have nothing against Haruhi and I'm not trying to get her out of the Host Club." He adjusted his glasses, "I'm … interested in her."

The Host Club members froze in shock. Tamaki lay twitching where he had collapsed.

Hikaru recovered first. He stood up and approached Kyoya stiffly, stopping inches away from the composed Shadow King. "What are you trying to pull, Kyoya? What do you think you're going to get out of this?"

Kaoru materialized at his twin's side, "We're not going to let you use Haruhi for whatever scheme you've come up with."

"This isn't some 'scheme,'" Kyoya said coldly.

"Kyoya-chan likes Haru-chan," Huni said quietly, staring down at the stuffed rabbit on his lap.

Tamaki, who had been making some progress in standing up, collapsed to the floor once more.

Fists clenched, Hikaru nudged the unconscious king with his foot, "Hey, milord, do something about this. You can't let Kyoya-senpai take advantage of your precious daughter, can you?"

The words 'precious daughter' made it into Tamaki's subconscious, giving his brain a jumpstart. Tamaki stood up slowly, his back turned to Kyoya. "What Huni-senpai said, is it true, Kyoya? Do you really like Haruhi?"

Before Kyoya could say anything, Hikaru exclaimed angrily, "Of course it isn't true. Kyoya Ootori only does things for his own benefit. Why would he like a commoner like Haruhi?" Kaoru grabbed his brother's arm to stop him from saying anything else, but Hikaru shook him off and continued, "We're not gonna let you manipulate her and everyone else just so you can get whatever you want."

Kyoya purposely ignored Hikaru, instead addressing Tamaki and the seniors, "I do like Haruhi, and I have no intention of using her or harming her in anyway. However, don't get me wrong; I didn't call this meeting to ask for permission. It's all up to Haruhi, and she has already agreed to go out on a date with me tomorrow. Since we're both members of the Host Club, I thought you guys might like to know. That is all. Now if you'll excuse me." Kyoya turned and began to walk calmly to the door.

Mori prevented another outburst from Hikaru or Kaoru by placing a firm hand on each of their shoulders. Tamaki still stood silently with his back toward Kyoya.

"Kyoya-chan," Huni called out, in a soft tone that was deadly serious. Kyoya stopped and turned to listen. "I'm sure Kyoya-chan knows that Haru-chan is very precious to us. And I'm sure Kyoya-chan knows that Takashi and I would not be happy if Haru-chan was hurt in anyway."

Kyoya looked Huni in the eyes and nodded, "I understand."

Huni nodded in return, then his demeanor changed completely. In a split second he transformed back to his cute bubbly self. "Have fun tomorrow, Kyoya-chan. You guys should go get ice cream or cake. Sweets always improve the mood. Haru-chan would enjoy that, right Takashi?" Mori patted the little senior's head as Huni headed toward the dessert table.

Kyoya turned and left the room.

"That's it?" Hikaru demanded through gritted teeth. "That's all you guys are going to say to him? You're not gonna try to stop him?"

Kaoru put a comforting arm around his twin's shoulder, "Hikaru. Let's go home." The twins left, leaving behind Tamaki and the seniors.

"Kyoya doesn't like Haruhi as a daughter, does he?" Tamaki said quietly.

The seniors looked at each other with worried expressions. Huni answered gently, "Tama-chan was the one who made Haru-chan the daughter."

"And now my best friend and my daughter... are going on a date." Tamaki looked puzzled as he tried to accept the information. He sat down on the nearest couch and closed his eyes, lost in thought. He couldn't understand all of the emotions he was feeling. For some reason he was both mad and sad at the same time, and he tried to reason out why. _Of course I feel protective of my daughter, and that's probably why I'm mad at Kyoya for trying to ruin her purity. However, Kyoya is my best friend and I want him to be happy, which is why it makes me sad to have to keep her away from him, right? On the other hand, shouldn't I be happy that my daughter will be with someone as good as Kyoya? But does Kyoya deserve someone as perfect as my dear Haruhi?_ As for any other emotions that he was feeling, Tamaki refused to acknowledge them. Tamaki sighed, then opened his eyes, decision made. His duties as a father would have to take precedence over everything. Tamaki had been sitting quietly for several minutes, so when he jumped up and yelled "Okay!" it startled the seniors.

"What is it, Tama-chan?" Huni asked, licking frosting off of a fork.

"I have a plan. We're going to follow Kyoya and Haruhi on their date tomorrow!" Tamaki declared. "We need to keep an eye on them and make sure Kyoya can take good care of my beloved daughter."

Huni and Mori looked at each other. If they didn't agree with Tamaki's plan, then he would go on his own and probably get into trouble. It would be better for the seniors to accompany him and try to keep him from doing anything too dumb. Plus, they had to admit they were curious about the couple, so they agreed to meet up with their president the next day.

In the limo on their way home, Huni swung his feet and stared out the window. Mori sat across from him staring out the other way. Huni commented sadly, "He's putting everyone's feelings before his own."

Mori nodded his head in agreement. He only hoped their president wouldn't someday regret holding back for his friends' happiness.

That evening, the twins were sitting alone at a long dining table. They were pushing the food around on their plates listlessly. Hikaru broke the silence first, slamming his fork down on the table, "Why did she agree to go out with him anyway? Maybe he's blackmailing her or bribing her."

"Maybe," Kaoru agreed, but he didn't really believe it. After spending the week shadowing the Shadow King, Kaoru had to admit there was more to the emotionally distant 2nd-year than he had initially thought. And he knew that if anyone could see beyond Kyoya's aloofness, it would be Haruhi. When Hikaru had confronted Kyoya earlier, Kaoru had instinctively backed him up. Kaoru had nothing against Kyoya, but Hikaru's happiness was his main priority. Later that night when Hikaru revealed his plan, of course Kaoru agreed to go along with it.

Saturday, early afternoon…

Half a block from Haruhi's apartment was a black car with dark tinted windows. Mori sat in the driver's seat, Tamaki was in the front passenger seat, and Huni was in the back seat. Tamaki had shown up in his limo, but Huni and Mori quickly convinced him to switch to a more discreet car. Since they didn't know the details of the date, they had to wait outside Haruhi's place until Kyoya showed up. They had been there since morning.

Kyoya smirked as his limo drove past the parked black car. He glanced over his shoulder casually, and smirked again. The twins were still tailing him, too. Everything was going according to plan. Kyoya knocked on Haruhi's door. _All I have to do now is stay alert and focused and deal with whatever foolishness they throw at me. _Haruhi opened the door. Kyoya stared.

Haruhi looked down at what she was wearing. "Is it weird? My dad asked me to wear it," she said with a sigh, remembering her father's tearful pleas. Since what she wore mattered so much to him, and didn't matter at all to her, Haruhi had agreed. Now there she stood in a light yellow, spaghetti-strapped dress. It had an empire waist then flowed gently to reach mid-thigh. Her bangs were swept to one side and held by a white clip. Strappy, flat sandals and a white clutch completed her outfit. She sighed to herself again, _At least it's comfortable._

Kyoya shook his head. "It's nice, really. You look lovely." In his mind, Kyoya was damning Ranka-san for dressing Haruhi in such a tempting outfit when he had five pairs of eyes watching and waiting for him to make just one wrong move. He gulped as a gentle breeze fluttered the thin cotton fabric of her dress, giving him a teasing glimpse of more skin. He stepped back, "Are you ready?"

Walking to the limo, Haruhi forced herself to ignore the huge commotion coming from two cars parked a little down the street from her apartment. As she settled into her seat, she smiled and said, "Well I'll give them credit for not showing up in their limos."

In Mori's car, Mori had one iron arm around Tamaki's neck. Mori had grabbed Tamaki just before he could bolt out of the car. The car shook as the blond idiot struggled madly to break free, and the rolled up windows did little to muffle his plaintive cries for his daughter. Huni was not helping matters by jumping up and down in the back seat exclaiming about how cute Haruhi looked in her dress.

In the Hitachin car, Kaoru was having similar trouble trying to keep Hikaru from leaving the car to pound on Kyoya. Unwilling to use real force to break free from his brother's restraint, Hikaru finally sat back in his seat with a scowl. "You saw how that bastard was looking at her. If Kyoya tries anything funny with Haruhi…" he clenched his fists with frustration.

In Kyoya's limo, Kyoya adjusted his glasses and crossed his arms casually. "Now remember, we can't act as though we've already been going out for the past several weeks. We have to act friendly, but casual."

"Friendly, but casual?" Haruhi eyed him skeptically.

Kyoya leaned forward, "Precisely. Close, but not too close. For example, I can hold your hand like this" he reached over to hold her hand, "but I can't put my arm around you like this," he placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh I see," Haruhi smiled. "So I can give you a friendly pat on the shoulder, but I can't do this?" Haruhi asked, kissing him softly.

"Feel free to do that whenever you want," he kissed her back, "but my hospital bills will be added to your debt." He grinned as she scooted away.

Haruhi called out from the other end of the limo, "Where are we going anyway?"

"I'm sure you can guess."

Haruhi pondered out loud, "You would want to take advantage of the nice weather we're having, so probably something outdoors. The others have to be able to follow us, so nothing private or quiet. Something friendly and casual..." Haruhi glanced out the window to see which direction they were headed. Her face lit up as it came to her, "The fair is in town."

Kyoya smiled, impressed with her deductive abilities, "Is that okay with you?"

Haruhi nodded, "More than okay. I haven't been there in a really long time." Haruhi stared out the window, a distant look in her eyes. "I remember going when my mom was still alive." She smiled, "The fair brings back happy memories."

"I'm glad to hear that." _Those idiots better not ruin the fair for her. _"I've never been to one before, but according to my research it should be a pleasant experience."

Haruhi stared at him in disbelief, then laughed. She scooted back over to him, "Don't worry," she kissed his cheek, "I'll make sure you have fun."

Kyoya pulled her close, "That's supposed to be my line," he complained jokingly. He claimed a kiss as compensation, and then unable to stop himself he started kissing her neck. He rested his hand on her knee, and then couldn't keep himself from caressing her silky skin. _The date has barely started and I'm already losing control. Get a hold of yourself, Kyoya. _He pulled away reluctantly.The limo made a sudden sharp turn, tipping Kyoya over onto Haruhi.

Haruhi looked up into Kyoya's dark eyes as he remained over her. She stared at him suspiciously, and raised an eyebrow.

Kyoya chuckled, "No, I didn't plan this." He bent closer, "It must be divine intervention." He felt her smile as he kissed her hungrily. He pulled them both to sit upright, not wanting her hair or dress to get conspicuously mussed, but continued to kiss her. His breathing quickened when she climbed onto his lap, her dress sliding tantalizingly high up to her hips. Gently, slowly, his hands traveled up her thighs. He heard her gasp when his hands reached her center. He muffled her moan with his lips as his thumbs slid beneath her underwear and began to stroke her.

Determined to share the pleasure with him, Haruhi hurried with the button and zipper of his jeans. Kyoya groaned at the feel of her warm hands encircling him.

Suddenly, they both froze. The limo had stopped. _Damn._

Kyoya quickly set Haruhi down on the seat next to him and adjusted his pants. Haruhi had just finished smoothing down her dress, when the driver opened the door for them.

Kyoya slid out of the limo elegantly. He turned to the driver holding the door and calmly said, "You're fired." The driver stood there in shock as Kyoya proceeded to help Haruhi out.

Haruhi gaped at him in disbelief, "Kyoya," she scolded, nudging him in the side. Kyoya simply adjusted his glasses and looked away stubbornly. Haruhi addressed the stunned driver, "He's not serious. You're not fired. Don't worry," she tried to reassure him. "Kyoya-senpai is just in a bad mood because he…" she looked over to Kyoya for help.

"…Was in the middle of a very important conversation." Kyoya finished for her.

Haruhi pulled Kyoya to the side, "We can continue that 'conversation' later if you'll give him his job back."

Kyoya grinned. He called out to his driver, "You're hired."

Haruhi sighed. She wouldn't be surprised if Kyoya had planned that.


	9. Chapter 9

Kyoya watched Haruhi as she took in the sights around her. The recently re-hired driver had dropped them off right at the entrance to the fair, and Haruhi's eyes were wide with excitement. She gently clutched his arm, allowing him to guide her as she looked around everywhere except for where she was walking. The simple, trusting gesture made Kyoya smile to himself. He looked around discreetly for the other Host Club members, and was glad that they were remaining inconspicuous. He led Haruhi through the entrance gates, handing off their tickets to the attendant. He nudged Haruhi with his elbow, stealing her attention away from a man juggling household items for a crowd.

"Do you want to stay and watch, or grab lunch before we walk around?" he asked her when her eyes were on him.

Haruhi laughed, "I'm sure you already know the answer to that question." She grabbed his hand and began to drag him onward. "If I remember correctly, the food is this way."

This time it was Kyoya's turn to be led. The smell of food grew stronger as they approached rows of stands and carts. Kyoya grinned, watching Haruhi's head swivel around as if she was watching a tennis match. He was so busy staring at the pretty girl holding his hand that he forgot to pay attention to his surroundings. He chided himself for barely having time to pull Haruhi closer to him as a group of girls confronted them.

"Kyoya-kun!" One of the girls squealed excitedly. Kyoya was surprised to recognize the daughter of a wealthy businessman who sometimes worked with his father. They had been introduced a few times at parties, but her name never stuck with him. "It's me, Rina-chan," she reminded him when he simply nodded politely.

Haruhi looked at the girls with curiosity. With their high heels and high-fashion clothes, they stood out in the crowd. She could not help but stare at the strange hat that one girl was wearing.

"Allow me to introduce –" Kyoya began to introduce Haruhi, before he was rudely interrupted with a huff from Rina-chan.

"Kyoya-kun, come explore the fair with us instead," Rina-chan whined, completely ignoring Haruhi. The other girls nodded their heads eagerly. "I'm sure your father would love to hear that you accompanied us," she said pointedly. "And I know my father would be very pleased to know we are friends."

Kyoya was surprised by her blatant rudeness and obvious implications. The silly girl obviously did not realize that in terms of business, it was her family who needed the Ootori corporation, not the other way around. "Fortunately, I have someone more important to attend to, but I'll be sure to let my father know about our encounter. He loves to hear about the families who own a business before he hires them," Kyoya said coldly as he led Haruhi around the group. Haruhi tore her eyes away from the tall, green hat, and began to follow Kyoya.

"But she's just a poor, common, bi-" Rina-chan halted mid-word when Kyoya stopped abruptly and glared at her.

Haruhi rubbed her nose with a grimace, having run into Kyoya's back. Haruhi was surprised to look up and see the black aura surrounding Kyoya. Kyoya stepped towards Rina-chan and whispered something to her that made the girl blanch. Rina-chan quickly drew back and called to her friends to follow her as she walked away.

"Do you think that other girl knows there is a dead rabbit on her hat?" Haruhi pondered out loud.

Kyoya laughed and pulled Haruhi in for a hug. In his mind he thanked God that nothing seemed to faze her. She hugged him back briefly before pulling away, "Friendly, but casual. Remember?" She reminded him with a smile. "Now let's go eat." She grabbed his hand once more, and Kyoya was pleased to notice that she held his hand a little tighter this time.

"He gets a hug for that?" Hikaru exclaimed with frustration, slamming his binoculars onto the table. He crossed his arms and slumped down further in his chair.

Kaoru patted his back, watching as the couple continued to browse the food stands hand-in-hand. Their plan had failed miserably. Kyoya was supposed to ditch Haruhi for Rina-chan, a girl with far more financial and business merit. Instead, it looked as if Kyoya insulted Rina-chan and was now even closer to Haruhi.

"What is he trying to get out of this? He can't benefit at all from dating Haruhi!" Hikaru continued to rant.

"I don't know about that," Kaoru said softly to himself. He squeezed Hikaru's shoulder, pointing as Haruhi attempted to feed Kyoya the last fried squid ball on a stick. Kyoya was fending her off, turning his head away while laughing. Finally, Haruhi shrugged her shoulders and was about to eat the squid ball herself, when Kyoya quickly intercepted and stole her bite. Kyoya laughed, but quickly stopped at the look of disappointment on Haruhi's face.

The twins watched in fascination as Kyoya presented Haruhi with a new stick of squid balls. "Where did he get that from?" the twins murmured to each other. From where they were sitting several yards away, they could see how happy it made Kyoya to please Haruhi, who was now busily devouring the food, denying him any bites.

Hikaru's cell phone rang, and he answered it absentmindedly. He dropped the phone in shock when all he heard was loud screeching. He handed the phone to Kaoru, "Can you talk to Rina-chan, please?" Kaoru sighed and took the call, wandering a few steps away from the table to deal with the irate girl.

When Kaoru sat back down, Hikaru glanced at him questioningly.

"Kyoya-senpai told Rina-chan that if she ever spoke negatively about Haruhi again, that he would find a way to end her family's business. Remind me when we get home to send some of Mom's new clothes to her." Kaoru shrugged. "Did I miss anything while I was on the phone?"

Hikaru did not reply, staring down at his hands. Kaoru searched the crowd, and finally spotted the couple. Kyoya had an arm around Haruhi's shoulder, and was saying something into her ear that made her smile and blush. They were obviously in their own little bubble of happiness.

"Come on, brother." He tugged Hikaru to stand up. "Let's go win stuffed animals to throw at them."

Hikaru smiled, "Okay, let's head this way. I saw a giant stuffed dog somewhere over here."


End file.
